In a third generation (3G) evolved universal terrestrial radio access network (E-UTRAN) telecommunications system (as described in 3GPP specifications), a number of E-UTRAN NodeBs (eNBs) are arranged to communicate with a number of user equipment (UEs). A number of channels are provided between the eNBs and UEs to support this communication. On a downlink shared channel (DL-SCH) and an uplink shared channel (UL-SCH) information is multiplexed to enable transmission of control and traffic information between an eNB and a UE. The DL-SCH and UL-SCH carry a number of logical channels to enable a number of different applications on the UE associated with those channels to each transmit and receive control and traffic information over that channel. Accordingly, information to be transmitted over the UL-SCH is formed into a medium access control protocol data unit (MAC PDU) which consists of a MAC header and a MAC payload, as illustrated in FIG. 1. The MAC header provides information on the content of the MAC payload. The MAC payload comprises a number of MAC service data units (MAC SDUs), a number of MAC control elements (MAC CEs), together with optional padding. The MAC header comprises one or more MAC PDU sub-headers with each sub-header corresponding to either a MAC SDU, a MAC CE or padding. A MAC PDU sub-header associated with a MAC SDU, and MAC CE or padding consists of a logical channel identifier (LCID), together with other header information, such as an extension field (E), reserved bits (R), and, optionally, a format field (F) and a length field (L). The MAC PDU sub-headers, MAC SDUs, MAC CEs and padding are concatenated to create the MAC PDU. MAC CEs are placed before any MAC SDU, and padding occurs at the end of the MAC PDU. Both the MAC header and the MAC SDUs may have variable size. A maximum of one MAC PDU is then transmitted per transport block per user equipment.
As required, information such as a buffer status report is transmitted from the UE over the UL-SCH. Accordingly, a unique value of LCID (“11101”) has been specifically allocated to identify such short buffer status reports (SBSR) within the MAC PDU. Similarly, in order to provide for a long buffer status report (LBSR), a further unique value of LCID (“11110”) has been allocated to identify such reports within the MAC PDU. The SBSR provides information on the size of a buffer group within the UE and is provided as a MAC CE which includes the buffer size information, together an identifier (LCG ID) which identifies the buffer group to which the buffer size information relates. The LBSR provides information on the size of every buffer group within the UE and is provided as a MAC CE which includes the buffer size information for each buffer group. This information is used by the eNB when scheduling transmissions to the UE.
It is desired to provide for improved scheduling to the UEs.